any

Reading level: easy

Estimated CEFR level: A1 — Beginner

Estimated from word frequency; not an official CEFR classification.

Definition

  1. adjective one or some or every or all without specification
  2. adverb to any degree or extent

Etymology

From Middle English any, eny, ony, ani, aniȝ, eniȝ, æniȝ, from Old English ǣniġ (“any”), from Proto-West Germanic *ainīg, *ainag, from Proto-Germanic *ainagaz, from Proto-Germanic *ainaz (“one”), equivalent to one + -y. Cognate with Saterland Frisian eenich (“some”), West Frisian iennich (“only”), Dutch enig (“any, some”), Afrikaans enig (“any”), German Low German enig (“some”), German einig (“some”); via Proto-Indo-European *óynos cognate with Latin ūllus (“any”), Latin ūnicus (whence Italian unico (“unique”), French unique (“unique”)). Piecewise doublet of unique.

In classic literature

Synonyms

whatever, whatsoever

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